Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Unwind by Neal Shusterman


Imagine a future in which parents can choose to get rid of their kids when they turn 13. Even stranger, the parents can feel good about themselves because their kids are being "unwound" and their body parts are used to save other people's lives. Kids end up as "unwinds" for many reasons. Connor's parents didn't like his behavior, Risa was an orphan, and Lev's parents actually gave him away as a "tithe" or a kind of sacrifice to God. They meet on a highway on the way to being unwound, and that's when their adventures begin. They need to survive until they're 18 years old, when they can no longer be unwound. This book made me think about some big questions like who should decide whether a life has value and how will we deal with future technology that gives us the power to transplant more and more organs. It's a powerful book, but also disturbing (especially the "harvest" at the end). Neal Shusterman really knows how to write books that interest middle school kids. Recommended for readers who liked The Giver and Among the Hidden and House of the Scorpion.

10 comments:

Ms. Yingling said...

Have two copies, and neither has hit the shelf since they arrived! Our Able and Talented group is using it as a book discussion title. I thought the action was nicely paced with the philosophy.

Anonymous said...

"Unwind" is my favorite book. It is interesting, powerful and sometimes it's funny. It talks about important issues in a way that kids could understand.

The characters are real. You can understand them and you can feel what they feel. Neal Shusterman did an amazing job crafting this book.

This review did not even touch on some of the issues in the book. "Unwind" talks about many controversial issues, like abortion. This review totally ignored the Hartland War and why unwinding was invented.

Anonymous said...

is unwinding kids a real thing? anwser me at williamca2@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

This book looks great and I can't wait to grab it at the library. Great Job!

Anonymous said...

This book looks great and I can't wait to grab it at the library. Great Job!

Anonymous said...

hello ppls luv this book!

Anonymous said...

i also luved everlost

Anonymous said...

me too!
Unwind was the first book I read by Neal Shusterman. The second was Full Tilt, the third was The Schwa, the fourth was Everlost and the fifth was Speeding Bullet.

My favorite was Unwind, then Full Tilt, then Everlost, then The Schwa, and last, Speeding Bullet.

Anonymous said...

unwind was amazing and breath-taking. it had adventure, danger, suspense, and romance. i actually felt as if i was in the book and could feel their emotions. i could almost feel the chemistry between connor and risa. the world shusterman created where you could get rid of unwanted children was spine-chilling and captivating. it made me wonder if my own parents would have unwound me if they had the chance. this is a MUST READ BOOK!!!!! if havent read it the go check it out:)

Anonymous said...

Unwind is a fantastic book. Neal Shusterman has obviously studied the equation for creating the perfect piece of literature since writing the book preceeding Unwind, Duckling Ugly, which is part of the Dark Fusion Series.
Unwind thrusts quirky, comedic, lovable characters into a series of dark adventurous events. The situations are disturbing and futuristic, but Neal Shusterman brings them to life by clearly explaining the background of the story.
The contraversal tale brings up issues such as abortion, war, science and race, but in a way that teenagers can understand. Neal Shusterman twists the story so that all opinions and sides to these matters are present and well explained.
Unwind also encourages thoughts about what the majority of humans take for granted, such as life and love.
This dark, disturbing novel ends with a scene of hope that cannot be forgotten and this story will change the world for you, forever.

Not recommended for children under the age of twelve, but recommended for everyone older.